Slack adjuster



IlA-MMQB Nev. 13 1923.

w. H. SAUVAGE SLACK ADJUSTER Filed Aug. 20. 1921 Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, OF N'EiU YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR,

tanner BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SLACK ADJUSTER.

Application filed August 20, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slack Adjusters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in slack adjusters for the brakerigging of railway cars of all types, and will be hereinafter describedwith relation to its application to truck brakes.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improvedslack adjust-er of simple and practical construction for automaticallytaking up the slack in the brake rigging due primarily to the wear ofthe brake shoes and the wheels, although, of course, it is to beunderstood that the slack developing in other parts of the brake riggingdue to wear will also be taken up or whenever an excess movement of thebrake shoes is required to effectually apply the brakes.

A further object is to provide a durable and substantial slack adjusterof the above general character, which will be reliable and efficient inuse and operation as well as one which may be easily and inexpensivelycon structed and assembled.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the above generalcharacter which may be applied to brake rigging now in general usewithout material alteration of the other parts.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointedout in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forming so inthe several views, in which corresponding parts are denoted by likereference characters. Y

In the accompanying drawings,-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly diagrammatic, showing suchparts of the brake rigging as are necessaryto an understanding of thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view looking part of the present disclosureand Serial No. 493,774.

upwardly on the slack adjusting mechanisms shown at the bottom of Figure1;

Figure 3 is a detail elevational View;

Figure 4 is a detail plan view of the parts shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a. detail perspective view of one of the parts shown inFigure 2;

Figure 7 is an end view of a live lever, fulcrum and adjusting rod; and

Figure 8 is a detail view of a slight modification.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to Figure1, 10 indicates diagrammatically a portion of the truck frame, such asthe bolster, to which is 65 view of a part shown secured a member 11adapted to pivotally support at 12 the upper end of a dead lever 13.This dead lever is provided with a brake beam strut 14: adapted to carrya brake beam or brake head for co-acting with the wheel. The lower endof the dead lever is pivoted at 15 to one part 16 or" a two-parttelescopic push rod, the other part 17 being pivoted at 18 to the lowerend of a live lever 20, which is also provided with a brake beam orbrake head fulcrum 21 and has pivotally connected at its upper end at 22a pull rod 23 adapted to be connected with any suitable source of powerfor applying the brakes. A return spring 24 is usually interposedbetween the ac brake bolster or framing l0 and the upper part of thelive lever or pull rod, whereby when the brakes are released the partswill be restored to normal position.

Broadly speaking, these parts are all of well known general constructionand oper= ation and'a detailed statement thereof is thought to beunnecessary to those skilled in the art.

The slack adjuster as herein shown and a0 embodying the presentinvention is shown more in detail in Figure 2. The two parts of thetelescopic push rod 16 and 17 comprise a barrel like member 16 and therod 17 fitting therein. 7 The tubular member 16 is so constructed as toprovide a housing 25 positioned about the rod 17 and react upon thehousing andone of the dogs respectively, whereby these dogs are normallymaintained in canted relation. it being understood that these dogs areof well known 6 construction, that is each is provided with a hole beingheat treated and hardened, through which the rod 17 passes and when heldin canted position will bite into the rod to prevent a relative inwardmovement thereof.

Adjacent the push rod is positioned an adjusting rod 34, one end ofwhich is adapted to be secured to the live lever fulcrum point with anadjustable lost motion stop as shown in Figure 3, by means of set, screw19, while the other end is provided with a member 36, as shown in Figure6, adapted to coact with a coiled spring 37 interposed between the fiatsurface 38 of the member 36 and the end of the push rod 17. The end isprovided with an elongated adjustable 7 slot 4.0,in which a member 42 isadapted to move. This member is mounted upon a stud or pin 43 acting asa fulcrum pin for the live lever 20, the parts being held in assembledposition by a cotter pin 44 or other suitable fastening means, as shownin Figure4. The slidable member 42 is All [provided with wedge shapededges 45, as

shown in F1gure 5, whereby to cut more readily through snow and ice thatmight collect in the slot during the winter months. This slot provides acertain amount of lost motion, adjustable as desired, to insure brakeshoe clearance at all times and the slack adjuster is not operated untilthis lost motion is taken up by movement of the member 42 from theposition shown in Figure 1 to the opposite end of the slot, as shown inFigure 3.

The adjusting rod slides through ears 46 and 47 on the housing 25 andhas secured thereon a sleeve or thimble 48 provided with flanges 50which are adapted to coact with the dogs 26, when it is desired to movethem to a position normal to the axis of the rod 17. A spring 51normallyholds this thimble in the position shown in Figure 2 and thethinible reacts with the dog '52, holding the same in canted position.

A fulcrum stop 53 co-acts with the opposite end of the dog 52, to holdthe same in pre a e re j ie 1 f either. ,P j2 or 37 should break, theother will insure a return of the parts to normal position and also ataking up of the slack. This may be better understood from Figure 8where the slot is elongated for the member 45, which on release dropsback to the line a and the spring 37, with the aid of gravity and weightof parts, will take up all of the slack independently of the spring 24.

The operation of the present device is substantially as follows: Onapplication of the brakes, the upper end of the live lever 20 movestowards the right, causing the lower end to move relatively towards theleft, reacting through the push rod to carry the brake beam strut 14towards the left. In this manner, both struts with the associated brakebeams and shoes in general are carried into engagement with the adjacentwheels, thereby to apply the brakes. it any excess travel occurs due towear of the parts, exceeding that provided for by the slot 40, theadjusting rod 34 will be carried relatively towards the right throughthe ears 46 and 47 and cause a compression of the spring 37 interposed,as shown in Figure 2. and is held in position by the dog When the brakesare released, the return spring 24 draws the upper part of the livelever into full release position, so that the brake shoes drop away fromthe surface of the wheels, to the extent of predetermined brake shoeclearance, and the parts assume substantially the release position shownin'Figure 1. The spring 37, however, has been placed under furthercompression to the extent that the rod 34 moves to the right, it may beassumed, and on release of the brakes immediately tends to relieve thiscompression by moving the push rod 17 relatively outwardly from thetubular barrel 16, an amount equal to the excess travel of the brakerigging produced by the wear of the'parts. This relative outwardmovement ot the push rod 17 is permitted by reason of the location andpositioning of the dogs 26.

This operation takes place on each application of the brakes-and nomatter how slight the wear may be the excess travel is always takcnup inthe manner above described.

Vhen the brake shoes have worn to such an extent that new ones arerequired. the dog 52 is tripped, that is, its upper end is movedrelatively towards the right. which forces the thimble 43 in thecorresponding direction and the flanges engage the outer ends of thedogs 26 and move them against the compression of their holding springsto a right angle position. When in this position the rods 17 and 34 arefree to move relative to the barrel 16 ineither direction as desired.llVhen the new brake Ill nism, well adapted to accomplish amongv othersall of the various objects and advantages herein set forth.

I claim:

1. In n automatic slack adjuster, in combination with brake levers, atwo-part telescopic push rod comprising a tubular member and a rod-likemember telescoping there with, a plurality of spaced apart holding meanscarried by the tubular member and (re-acting with the other part, anadjusting rod associated with one of the levers for varying theeffective length of said push rod, said adjusting rod having a member atone end adapted to co-act with one of said telescopic parts, and a.spring interposed between said member and the part of the push rod withwhich it coacts but adapted to cause variations in the effective lengthof said push red when excess travel of the brak rigging occurs.

, 2. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination with brake levers, atwo-part telescopic push rod intersposed between said brake levers, aplurality of holding dogs carried by one part and co-acting with theother. and a holding spring for each dog, an adjusting rod, positionedadjacent the push rod. one end of said adjusting rod being bent intoline with the inner part of said push rod.

3. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination with brake levers, atwo-part telescopic push rod interposed between said brake levers, aplurality of holding dogs carried by one part and co-acting with theother. and a holding spring for each dog, an adjusting rod positionedadjacent the push rod. one end of which is bent into line with the innerpart of said push rod, and a spring ccactingbetween the said inner endand the push rod adapted to cause an exn of the push rod on excesstravel of e brake rigging 4-. In n automatic slack adjuster, incombination with brake levers, a two-part telescopic push rod interposedbetween said brake levers, holding means carried by one part andco-acting with the other; an adjusting rod positioned adjacent the pushrod, one end of said adjusting rod being bent into line with the innerpart ot said push rod, and a spring co-acting between the said inner endand the push rod adapted to cause an expansion of the. push rod onexcess travel of the brake rigging, the opposite end of said adjustingrod having a lost motion connection with one of said brake levers.

5. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination with brake levers, atwo-part telescopic push rod interposed between said brake levers,holding means carried by one part and eo-acting with the other, an adjusting rod positioned adjacent the push rod, one end of said adjustingrod being bent into line with the inner part of said push rod, and aspring coacting between the said inner end and the push rod adapted tocause an expansion of the push rod on excess travel of the brakerigging, the opposite end of said adjusting rod having an adjustablelost motion connection with one or" said brake levers.

6. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination with brake levers, atwo-part tele scopic push rod interposed between said brake levers.holding means carried by one part and co-acting with the other, anadjusting rod positioned adjacent the push rod, one end of saidadjusting rod being bent into line with the inner part of said push rod,and a spring coacting between the said inner end and the push rodadapted to cause an expansion of the push rod on ere cess travel of thebrake rigging. the opposite end oi said adjusting rod having a lostmotion connection with one of said brake levers, said lost motionconnection comprising an adjustable slotted portion and a member carriedby the adjusting rod adapted to slide in said slotted portion.

7. In an automatic slack adjuster. in combination with brake levers. atwo-part telescopic push rod. a self-locking adjusting rod substantiallyparallel thereto. compression means interposed between the ends of saidadjusting rod and one of the parts of said telescopic push rod. adaptedto be compressed on excess travel and expanded on release oi? the brakesto eliminate the excess travel and holding means between one of saidparts of the telescopi push rod and said adjusting rod.

8. In an automatic slack adjuster. in com bination with brake le ers. atwo-part il'? scopic push rod. an adjusting rod substan tially parallelthereto. compression means interposed between the ends oi said adjust--ing rod and one of the parts of said telescopic push rod adapted to becompressed on excess travel and expanded on release of the brakes toeliminate the excess travel, and holding means coacting between thebetween the effective arts of said telesco ie push rod, and means formoving said dogs to a position at right angles whereby the telescopingpart ot said push rod may be moved freely in either direction, saidmeans comprising a member mounted upon said ad usting rod.

10.111 an automatic slack ad uster, in

combination with brake levers, a two-part telescopic push rod, anadjusting rod, compression means interposed between the ends of saidadjusting rod and one or" the parts of said telescopic push rod, adaptedto be compressed on excess travel and expanded on release of the brakesto eliminate the excess travel, a plurality of holding dogs coactingbetween the effective parts of said telescopic push rod, means formoving said dogs to a position at right angles to said telescopic pushrod whereby the telescoping part of said push rod may be moved freely ineither direction, said last mentioned means comprising a member mountedupon said adjusting rod and means for moving said member into engagementwith the holding dogs for moving the holding dogs into a position normalto the axis of said push rod.

11. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a two-part telescopic push rod.the ends of whiclrare adapted to be connected to the live and deadlevers oi the brake rigging,-

one part of the push rod being provided with housings, one of saidhousings containing a plurality of dogs normally held in canted positionadapted to prevent the relative inward movement of the telescopic pushrod, an adjusting rod lying parallel within the other of said housings,and a cushion spring associated. with said adjusting rod.

12. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a two-part telescopic push rod.the ends of which are adapted to be connected to the live and deadlevers oi the brake rigging, one part of the push rod being providedwith housings, OIlB O'i said housings containing a plurality ot' dogsnormally held in canted position adapted to prevent the relative inwardmovement of the telescopic push rod, and adjusting rod lying parallelwithin the other of said housings, and a cushlon spring associated withsaid adjusting rod, said adjusting rod being adapted to have a lostmotion connection with the live lever, said cushion spring maintainingconstant lost motion at all times.

13. In a slack-adjuster, in combination, a two-part telescopic push rod,the outer ends o t which are adapted to be connected with the live anddead levers respectively, an adjusting rod positioned substantiallyparallel i'llGl'QJO, a housing through which both of said rods pass, aplurality of dogs in said housing, some of said dogs co-acting with thetelescopic part of the push rod only, and another of said dogs co-actingwith the adjusting rod, and spring means normally holding said dogs incanted posi tion, said last mentioned dog projecting outwardly from thehousing whereby it may be moved to a position normal to the axis of theadjusting rod and simultaneously move the other dogs therewith.

14;. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a two-part telescopic pushrod, the outer ends of which are adapted to be connected to the live anddead levers of a brake rigging, one part of said push rod being tubularin shape, a housing formed on the tubular part of said push rod,perforated ears, adjusting rods passing through said ears and lyingsubstantially parallel to the into parallel position.

15. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a two-part telescopic push rod,therouter ends of which are adapted to be connected to the live and deadlevers of a brake rigging, one part of said push rod being tubular inform, a housing formed on the tubular part of said push rod, perforatedears, the adjusting rod passing through said ears and lyingsubstantially parallel to the telescoping part of said push rod, aplurality of dogs adapted to coact with the push rod, and a dogco-acting with both the push rod and the adjusting rod and projectingout wardly therefrom whereby it may be moved to a position normal to theaxes of said rods, and a member actuating the other dogs into parallelposition, and independently actuated springs one for each of said dogs.

' 16. In a slack adjuster, in'eombination, a two-part telescopicpushrod, the outer ends of which are adapted to be connected to the liveand dead levers oi? a brake rig- I ging, one part of said push rod beingtubular in form, a housing formed on the tubuevepee an adjusting rodpassing through said ears and lying substantially parallel to thetelescoping part of said push rod, a plurality of dogs adapted to co-actwith the push rod, and a dog co-acting with both the push rod and theadjusting rod and projecting outwardly therefrom whereby it may be movedto a position normal to the axes of said rode, a member actuated by themovement of said last mentioned dog to move the other dogs into parallelposition, independently actuated springs, one for each dog, and acushion spring associated with the adjusting rod adapted to insureconstant brake shoe clearance at all times.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE.

